The present invention relates to an electronic device having vocally reproducing and synthesizing function, which is capable of receiving and transmitting externally inputted text data by means of electronic mail and communication facilities.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-17504 discloses a technique of reading aloud an electronic mail text, which enables electronic mail devices to vocally reproduce an electronic mail text as desired by a user in such a manner that an electronic mail text is read aloud in accordance with detailed setting information (e.g., male/female voice, reading speed and so on) indicated by a specified pattern of letters inserted by the user in the text.
However, this technique requires a user to insert the detailed setting information in each reproducible portion of the mail text. For example, to realize the vocal reproduction of a specified portion of the mail text by some one's voice, the user has to write all detailed information for reading aloud by the designated person (character) by using a specified letter pattern (format) and insert it in a specified position of the text.
The drawback of the prior art is such that the insertion of all detailed setting information for reading aloud of any part of the mail text with particular person's voice makes the mail text contain a large amount of excessive voice setting information and hence be unpleasant to see and difficult to read. In fact, repeated use of the detailed setting information about the same person (character) increases the volume of the mail text.